Bartlein Barrel - SS, 6mm, B#12 Heavy Palma, 7 Twist, 29'' Blank, 5R Rifling

Are you curious about how different factors affect your firearm's performance? Let's explore some key aspects that influence your shooting experience.

Barrel Contours and Weight

Do barrel contours impact barrel weight and shooting performance? Yes, they do. Heavier contours offer advantages, especially when it comes to maintaining accuracy as the barrel heats up during extended shooting sessions. Barrel movement or wandering due to heat can be reduced with a heavier contour, providing more consistent shot placement.

At Bartlein Barrels, we exclusively employ single point cut rifling, a process that avoids inducing stress into the barrel blank. Because of this, we emphasize that the contour is not as critical as it would be for barrels produced using button rifling methods.

Does Contour Affect Shooting?

Indeed, the contour of a barrel can influence shooting performance. Heavier barrels can often result in improved shooting because the added weight helps shooters manage recoil and experience less fatigue. This increased stability allows for more rounds to be fired over extended periods, enhancing overall shooting endurance.

However, it's important to note that we've witnessed lighter weight contours performing exceptionally well, sometimes even outperforming heavier ones. So while contour matters, it may not be as critical as some might assume.

Suppressors and Barrel Contour

Should suppressors be attached to any barrel contour? No, they shouldn't. When using a suppressor on a heavier barrel, it tends to deliver better results. This is because the added weight of the suppressor affects the harmonic vibrations of the barrel. For optimal performance with suppressors, we recommend using a barrel with at least a medium palma contour.

Advantages of Single Point Cut Rifling

Why is single point cut rifling superior to button rifling? With lighter weight contours in button rifling, barrels tend to experience greater stress. As the contour size decreases, it can negatively impact bore sizes, leading to potential issues with barrel performance. Single point cut rifling eliminates these problems, ensuring consistent bore sizes and accuracy.

Threaded muzzles on button-rifled barrels can also cause issues with bore opening up, particularly at the muzzle's crown edge, impacting accuracy. This issue is not present with single point cut rifling, contributing to better overall barrel performance.

Significance of Barrel Fluting

Why is fluting a barrel important? It serves several purposes:

• Weight Reduction: Fluting removes material from the barrel without altering the contour, reducing overall weight.
• Barrel Cooling: Fluting increases the barrel's surface area, enhancing heat dissipation during firing.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Many shooters appreciate the unique look that fluting adds to a barrel.

Fluting Questions

Are there specific guidelines for fluting depth? Yes, excessive fluting can lead to harmonic and vibration issues, potentially affecting accuracy. If you're unable to add fluting to your barrel while browsing, it may indicate that the contour is too shallow for fluting.

Does fluting make the barrel stiffer? Generally, fluting reduces the stiffness of a barrel compared to an identical non-fluted contour.

The Importance of Barrel Rifling

What style of rifling should you choose? Bartlein Barrels offers three rifling types: 4-groove, 5R, and Conventional-5. The number of grooves doesn't significantly affect accuracy or barrel life. Feedback from ammunition and bullet manufacturers confirms this.

Benefits of 5R Rifling

5R rifling offers additional advantages, including reduced bullet failure due to its gentler angle on the sides of the lands compared to conventional rifling. The odd number of lands minimizes bullet deformation during the transition from the case into the rifling, improving bullet integrity and accuracy. It also contributes to better bullet flight, as confirmed by ammunition and bullet makers.

Exceptions to Consider

There are exceptions, such as short jacket 6mm bullets commonly used by short-range bench shooters (typically in 65-68gr bullets). These bullets may not perform well with 5R rifling, potentially resulting in larger group sizes. Factors like bullet bearing surface and rifling style can impact performance in these cases.